The author had Eagle Lake to herself on an early morning hike. Photo: Kelsey Wilking<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
After spending a week in Reno, Nevada, for a trip centered around the annual Artown Music and Art Festival, I knew I wanted a change of pace from the urban surroundings. Fortunately, Reno is a quick drive from Lake Tahoe, making it easy to swap the desert heat for the country\u2019s largest alpine lake on a Saturday morning.<\/p>\n
I planned a leisurely weekend. I would leave Reno around 9 AM, pick up an iced coffee on the way, and dip into one of those Instagram-worthy coves surrounding clear, bright teal water. It was a drive that was supposed to take me about 35 minutes.<\/p>\n
But the reality? Two hours of bumper-to-bumper traffic on one-lane roads while searching for a parking spot to reach a few potential beach spots on the north shore. It was a rookie mistake.<\/p>\n
Tahoe, as I learned the hard way, is not a \u201csleep in and see what happens\u201d kind of destination. By the start of July 2025, nearly 3 million people had visited the lake\u2019s mountain towns. Overtourism is an ongoing challenge around Lake Tahoe, and at times, it shows.<\/p>\n
Of course, I get it. The towns and protected lands around Lake Tahoe, which straddles Nevada and California, are ridiculously beautiful: picture pine-covered mountains, quirky little ski towns, and a lake so clear it feels fake. It\u2019s been on my travel wish list forever, and I know plenty of people who consider it a \u201csomeday dream trip.\u201d<\/p>\n
But I quickly realized my mistake, and the next day, I learned the secret: early mornings in Tahoe are pure magic. Sunrise hikes on empty trails, a quiet coffee on an empty beach, or snagging the first gondola ride of the day to drink in the views as fog slowly clears off the mountains \u2013 these are the experiences that best show off Tahoe\u2019s natural charms. The trick to getting the most out of Lake Tahoe during the busy summer season is learning how to dodge the crowds without losing your mind (or your parking spot). And to do so, you\u2019ll need to wake up early.<\/p>\n
Adjust your summer schedule<\/h2>\nPhoto: Kelsey Wilking<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Get up early. I\u2019m talking really early \u2013 before 5 AM early. You can always take a nap later. It should feel like an ungodly early hour. If you\u2019d rather be leisurely and sleep in, maybe Tahoe isn\u2019t the spot for you during the busy summer weekends.<\/p>\n
Those who can pack their bags the night before, haul themselves out of bed, and hit the road before dawn will thank themselves later \u2013 trust me. If you\u2019re staying in Tahoe, you\u2019ll likely have plenty of trailheads within a 15-20 minute (or less) drive, so it won\u2019t be long before you have crisp mountain air to really wake you up.<\/p>\n
I am not an early morning person, but even I thought it was worth it. Existing in some of America\u2019s most beautiful landscapes and having it all to yourself is the closest you can get to adventure perfection. At Emerald Bay State Park, I hiked the short trail up to Eagle Lake and didn\u2019t see another soul. It was just me, the trees, and a small lake experiencing the first brush of daylight together. <\/p>\n
If you\u2019re thinking you don\u2019t mind a few extra people on the trails if it means getting to sleep in a little later, that won\u2019t work, in many cases. Many of Tahoe\u2019s trailheads have very limited space for cars, so if you don\u2019t park early, you may not be able to park at all.<\/p>\n
Another perk of waking up early is the fantastic feeling of having a fulfilling breakfast after a hike. Grab mouthwatering biscuits and gravy at Bert\u2019s Caf\u00e9 (and as a Tennessean, I know a thing or two about biscuits), or head to Three Pines Coffee Shop for a post-hike cup of Joe to slap you awake if you\u2019re starting to fade after your early morning.<\/p>\n
Can\u2019t wake up early? Sleep where you\u2019re going<\/h2>\nLake Aloha in Desolation Wilderness. Photo: Suzie Dundas<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
If the idea of setting a 4:30 AM alarm makes you want to hurl your phone into the lake, there\u2019s another option: just sleep in the wilderness. Camp overnight, and you\u2019ll already be where everyone else is fighting to get to.<\/p>\n
Some of the most convenient and picturesque places to camp around Lake Tahoe include:<\/p>\n
\nDesolation Wilderness: Backcountry permits required, but it\u2019s worth the small bit of extra effort. Aloha Lake is a stunning overnight destination if you\u2019re willing to hike in. It\u2019s fully backcountry camping, so you\u2019ll need to be entirely self-supported. Bear canisters are required, but you can rent them at the Taylor Creek Visitor Center in South Lake Tahoe. Be aware of seasonal fire bans.<\/li>\n Donner Lake: About 20 minutes north of Lake Tahoe in Truckee, this mountain lake is Tahoe\u2019s low-key cousin. It\u2019s smaller, laid-back, and easier to access, with a vintage vibe that sometimes feels worlds away from the Tahoe chaos. The park has flat, wooded sites with picnic tables and basic amenities, with reservations required between Memorial Day and Labor Day (then first-come, first-served until October 1).<\/li>\n Fallen Leaf Lake: Just south of Tahoe, with Mt. Tallac looming above, this scenic spot feels blissfully uncrowded (at least compared to the campgrounds on Lake Tahoe). The lakeside campground is steps from the water and often has more availability than nearby Emerald Bay State Park.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nIf you\u2019re after something completely different and up for an adventure, head for the Emerald Bay Boat-In Campground. Accessible primarily by boat and capped at just 20 sites, it\u2019s one of the rare ways to wake up inside Emerald Bay without being shoulder-to-shoulder with half of California. Overnight boat rentals are available through rental companies in nearby South Lake Tahoe, and the campground sits on the remains of an 1880s-era resort, so you\u2019ll leave with some new history knowledge, in addition to your lakeside sunrise photos.<\/p>\n
Wherever you go, reservations are a must. These spots book up fast, and nothing kills the wilderness vibe faster than realizing you drove all that way without a permit.<\/p>\n
Plan everything in advance<\/h2>\nBook the right hotel in advance, and you may have access to perks like a private beach. Photo: Kelsey Wilking<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Tahoe is not the place to wing it. If you roll out of bed without a plan, you\u2019ll spend half your day in parking lots or waiting for a table somewhere that ran out of pancakes an hour ago. The fix? Channel your inner Type A (or bring a friend who lives by spreadsheets) and lock in the details at least a day or two beforehand. Pick your hike. Pick your swim spot. If you want dinner at a popular restaurant, make a reservation (ideally several weeks in advance, on a weekend). If you\u2019d rather picnic, buy everything you\u2019ll need the day before and keep it on ice so you\u2019re not wasting daylight hours hunting for sandwiches or standing in long lines. The goal is simple: mornings for activity, afternoons for chilling.<\/p>\n
For me, that meant hiking early, then meandering down to the private and blissfully low-trafficked Lakeside Park Association Beach \u2014 access to which is a privilege shared with guests of Desolation Hotel. Planning ahead isn\u2019t glamorous, but it\u2019s the difference between a Tahoe day spent in nature and a Tahoe day spent in traffic.<\/p>\n
Stay at one of the ski\/mountain resorts<\/h2>\nPhoto: Kelsey Wilking<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Tahoe\u2019s ski resorts may be known for their epic spring skiing (and often staying open into May or June), but most are equally busy summer destinations, too. And just like camping allows you to wake up in the wilderness, staying at a resort allows you to wake up where you\u2019re going, too.<\/p>\n
Heavenly Resort\u2019s gondola is more than just a ski-season ride; it\u2019s one of the best ways to see the lake in summer. I rode it to the very top on a summer day for a bird\u2019s-eye view of the divide between Lake Tahoe on one side and the Great Basin Desert on the other. Even people who see it every day think it\u2019s an amazing view.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt really doesn\u2019t get much better than the view of Lake Tahoe from our gondola,\u201d said Cole Zimmerman, Heavenly Resort\u2019s PR manager and my mountain guide for the day.<\/p>\n
In the summer, Heavenly offers an adventure park near the top of the mountain, with everything from a zipline to a climbing wall to a gravity-powered mountain coaster \u2013 the only one in Lake Tahoe. Staying at the Heavenly Village gives you a leg up on beating the crowds to both the adventure activities and scenic gondola ride. Combining both into one day makes for a nice taste of what Tahoe has to offer. \u201cWhether you\u2019re looking for adrenaline or just a relaxing time, you can find both at Heavenly,\u201d Zimmerman told me, \u201cand that\u2019s something we\u2019re really proud of.\u201d<\/p>\n
Photo: Heavenly Lake Tahoe\/Jimmy Pollock<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Staying at a resort also lets you take care of some logistics ahead of time, like snagging your gondola pass or mountain bike lift tickets the day before you need them, no morning scramble required. Alterra Mountain Company owns two major resorts in Tahoe (Palisades Tahoe and Alpine Meadows), while Vail Resorts owns three (Northstar California, Heavenly, and Kirkwood Mountain Resort). If you have a winter ski pass, you may get discounts on summer activities. For example, Epic Pass holders get free scenic lift rides at Heavenly and Northstar, plus a solid discount on food and drinks.<\/p>\n
But most mountain resorts in Tahoe have something to offer in summer, even if it\u2019s just access to hiking trails. As Zimmerman explained: \u201cAt Northstar, you\u2019ve got the bike park and a vibrant village. At Heavenly, the gondola and adventure activities. And at Kirkwood, it\u2019s more of a retreat into the wilderness with wildflowers and hiking.\u201d<\/p>\n
A backup plan for those who can\u2019t wake up early<\/h2>\nPhoto: H Peter Ji Photographer\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
If you couldn\u2019t wake yourself up early enough to skip the flood of humanity, give up on the day \u2013 but not the night. Tahoe\u2019s high elevation and dark, clear skies are a dream for stargazers, especially if you\u2019re used to city lights. During Northstar\u2019s dark sky events, you can settle in by firepits with telescopes and let Tahoe Star Tours\u2019 astronomers guide you through the cosmos.<\/p>\n
For a wilder, more DIY vibe, head to Sand Harbor Beach on Tahoe\u2019s east shore. Here, the lake acts like a mirror, doubling the night sky so you\u2019re surrounded by stars above and below. Bring a blanket, a picnic, and prepare to stay longer than you planned.<\/p>\n
Other favorites include Secline Beach in Kings Beach (tree-blocked from town lights, perfect for a quiet night out), and elevated lookouts like Emerald Bay State Park or D.L. Bliss State Park, where minimal light pollution makes for panoramic views of the South Lake Tahoe sky.<\/p>\n
Get on the water (or in the skies)<\/h2>\nPhoto: Kelsey Wilking<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
One of the easiest ways to dodge Tahoe\u2019s summer crowds is to get on the water. I joined a sunset cruise with Lake Tahoe Boat Rides, guided by Captain Dan Kramer, who filled me in on the lake\u2019s history, its hidden inlets, and the region\u2019s sustainability efforts that help keep Tahoe as clear as it looks on postcards. From the water, the traffic jams and packed beaches feel worlds away, and you\u2019ll have a better sense of the lake\u2019s full scale.<\/p>\n
As Kramer told me, \u201cThe very best thing you can do for yourself is get out on the lake. You can get oriented. See the different communities around the lake, the beaches, the hiking trails, and get ideas for all the recreational things you can do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lake Tahoe Boat Rides operates on a charter model, so each trip is customizable, whether you want to water ski, swim in hidden coves, or just cruise the shoreline to look at gorgeous high-end homes. Think of it as \u201cyour boat for the time you book it,\u201d says Kramer. But there are endless options for other ways to get on the water, from hourly kayak rentals to sightseeing and happy hour cruises.<\/p>\n
But in Tahoe, that\u2019s not the most dramatic way to escape the crowds: you can float above them. The Tahoe Flyer is the world\u2019s only hot-air balloon launched from a boat. Before sunrise, the balloon is inflated on deck out on the water, and once it\u2019s ready, you climb into the basket and drift up for an otherworldly view of Tahoe\u2019s glassy waters and the Sierra Nevada. The whole experience runs about four hours, complete with a celebratory mimosa toast once you\u2019re back on the boat.<\/p>\n
Wildflowers in Martis Valley, near Northstar California Resort in Truckee. Photo: Northstar California \/Katy Hammill<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The truth is that Tahoe is popular (for good reason). And if you don\u2019t want to deal with the reality vs. Instagram gap of being at its swoon-worthy beaches, you\u2019ll have to wake up early. Fortunately, there\u2019s so much to do that you\u2019d want to wake up early even without crowds just to be able to fit it all into one trip. Even if you\u2019re not a morning person, once you get through the initial grogginess of waking up at 5 AM and see the sunrise over the lake, you\u2019ll realize it\u2019s all worth it. And hey, you can always take a nap on the beach later.
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